San Juan Money Won't Come From General Fund for Free Summer Lunches

Officials from San Juan Unified School District addressed concerns from parents and faculty over finances being used to fund a new summer school free breakfast and lunch program.

Concerns were raised when the district announced it would introduce its new Summer Fun Café program, which would grant students access to free breakfast and lunch programs regardless of whether or not they were in San Juan Unified's jurisdiction.

San Juan Unified's director of food services, Monique Stoval explained she understood how the program could concern parents and staff, especially in light of and .

"One of the most important things to understand is that food service programs are not funded through the district's general fund," Stoval said. "That means we are required to create our own revenue and pay our own bills. We don't encroach on the general budget."

Stoval, who oversees the entire district's elementary, middle and high school National School Lunch Programs (NSLP), noted the program is reimbursed through the federal and state government for each meal served. As a part of the NSLP, the Summer Fun program would operate no differently, Stoval said.

The NSLP works with school districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the program, which in turn receive cash subsidies and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) foods for each meal they serve. In return, schools must serve lunches that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price lunches to eligible children ages 18 and younger.

"My goal is to ensure the costs to make a meal is as minimal as possible, ensuring a quality meal of course, so with the Federal reimbursement I receive, I can be able to cover all costs," Stoval said.

Those costs, Stoval noted, include labor, food, and any overhead.

District addresses "pink slime" in program meals

San Juan Unified employs two registered dieticians, of whom Stoval is one. Part of Stoval's responsibilities include creating menus and nutrition education programs. Stoval explained together, she and the other dietician work to create nutritious meals based on NSLP school lunch standards. 

"That requires us to limit the fat, the sodium, the cholesterol and meet certain nutritional guidelines," Stoval said. "All of our schools have salad bars so students can access healthy and fresh fruits and vegetables every single day, which, I think, helps the nutritional value of our meals."

However, Stoval admits she cannot help where those foods come from - the majority of which are shipped through USDA-sponsored corporate suppliers, including Don Lee Farms and Advanced Pierre Foods, as well as Tyson Foods and Foster Farms.

Stoval recognized the scrutiny many school lunch programs have come under recently, addressing the now-notorious seven million pounds of "pink slime" that USDA's National School Lunch Program had recently purchased.

"All of our suppliers provide our beef from manufacturers, the producers like Don Lee Farms and Advanced Pierre Foods," Stoval said. "They have provided us letters stating they did not add any of the lean, finely-textured beef to the products."

"Unfortunately the USDA is not able to confirm or not confirm whether or not that was in the commodity beef that was supplied to the producers."

Stoval could not guarantee none of the district's products contained the additives.

"All of our beef, they go through manufacturers, and our manufacturers who create our foods - let's say our hamburgers and teriyaki beef nuggets - have written us letters stating that they have not added anything in there," Stoval said.

The USDA does give options to school districts to opt out of manufactured food supplies that do include the finely-textured beef product, Stoval said.

"It is my position that we will not purchase that beef if possible," Stoval. "We have to see what USDA does."

Stoval does believe in the district's program, though, and she's excited to be able to offer the new Summer Fun program where finances for such programs, most notably for SJUSD elementary schools, have diminished over the years due to budgetary constraints.

"This is the first time we've ever done this program in our district," Stoval said. "Many of our families are not going to have summer school in a place where their son or daughter can eat a meal."

Years ago when SJUSD would hold its summer enrichment programs, Stoval explained the resources for a scholastic and food programs were there for all grade levels, including elementary. That changed, though, and elementary school summer programs were the first to be cut. Now those programs have returned and with them the range of food program options for those elementary students as well.

"Now we have an opportunity offer a national food program, which is the Summer Fun Café, to people in the community ages 18 and younger, where they can have a free meal, and get a very healthy lunch in the middle of the summer," Stoval said.

"The beautiful part about this program is you don't have to enroll in the program. We don't ask your income; we don't ask where you live; you can can eat with us and receive a free meal."

The program will operate Monday through Thursday, June 12 - August 2, at San Juan Central at 3700 Garfield Avenue, Carmichael (at the corner of Garfield and Engle). Lunch begins at 11:00 a.m.